Two new books arrived

Silence Fallen
Patricia Briggs
Ace
Copyright Date: January 2018
978-0425281284

The amazon.com product description:

In the #1 New York Times bestselling Mercy Thompson novels, the coyote shapeshifter has found her voice in the werewolf pack. But when Mercy's bond with the pack--and her mate--is broken, she'll learn what it truly means to be alone...

Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against Alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes--only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in a foreign country.

Unable to contact Adam through their mate bond, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a supernatural war.

I've got to play catch-up with this series! I'm sure I haven't read the last book, but I'm not sure about the one before that (though technically it's part of the Alpha and Omega spin-off and not the main line of the series, the Mercy Thompson books).

Nonetheless, I think it's time to do a re-read and catch-up - this has been one of my favorite urban fantasy series since I picked it up (around the time Bone Crossed came out I think).

The other book I picked up yesterday was one by Ursula K. Le Guin:

The Left Hand of Darkness
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ace Books
Copyright: 1987
978-0441478125

The amazon.com product description:

Ursula K. Le Guin's groundbreaking work of science fiction—winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards.A lone human ambassador is sent to Winter, an alien world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants can change their gender whenever they choose. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the strange, intriguing culture he encounters...

Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction.

I've not read much of Ursula K. Le Guin's books, other than the first three or four of the Earthsea series, and that was so long ago that I've forgotten all of it. So, after hearing of her death last month, I ordered several of her books - ones I'd meant to read, but have yet to get around to. This was the first of those orders to arrive.

Upcoming Books - Through October

There are a lot of good looking books in the works over the next few months, beginning with one I featured on it's own:

Beowulf
J.R.R. Tolkien
Release Date: May 22, 2014
978-0544442788

The amazon.com product description:

The translation of Beowulf by J.R.R. Tolkien was an early work, very distinctive in its mode, completed in 1926: he returned to it later to make hasty corrections, but seems never to have considered its publication. This edition is twofold, for there exists an illuminating commentary on the text of the poem by the translator himself, in the written form of a series of lectures given at Oxford in the 1930s; and from these lectures a substantial selection has been made, to form also a commentary on the translation in this book.

From his creative attention to detail in these lectures there arises a sense of the immediacy and clarity of his vision. It is as if he entered into the imagined past: standing beside Beowulf and his men shaking out their mail-shirts as they beached their ship on the coast of Denmark, listening to the rising anger of Beowulf at the taunting of Unferth, or looking up in amazement at Grendel’s terrible hand set under the roof of Heorot.

But the commentary in this book includes also much from those lectures in which, while always anchored in the text, he expressed his wider perceptions. He looks closely at the dragon that would slay Beowulf "snuffling in baffled rage and injured greed when he discovers the theft of the cup"; but he rebuts the notion that this is "a mere treasure story", "just another dragon tale". He turns to the lines that tell of the burying of the golden things long ago, and observes that it is "the feeling for the treasure itself, this sad history" that raises it to another level. "The whole thing is sombre, tragic, sinister, curiously real. The ‘treasure’ is not just some lucky wealth that will enable the finder to have a good time, or marry the princess. It is laden with history, leading back into the dark heathen ages beyond the memory of song, but not beyond the reach of imagination."

Sellic spell, a "marvellous tale", is a story written by Tolkien suggesting what might have been the form and style of an Old English folk-tale of Beowulf, in which there was no association with the "historical legends" of the Northern kingdoms.

On to the usual suspects of authors I keep an eye out for when it comes to new books:

Blood Red
Mercedes Lackey
DAW Books
Release Date: June 3, 2014
978-0756408978

The amazon.com product description:

Rosamund is an Earth Master in the Schwarzwald, the ancient Black Forest of Germany. Since the age of ten, she has lived with her teacher, the Hunt Master and Earth Magician of the Schwarzwald Foresters, a man she calls “Papa.” Her adoptive Papa rescued her after her original Earth Master teacher, an old woman who lived alone in a small cottage in the forest, was brutally murdered by werewolves. Rosa herself barely escaped, and this terrifying incident molded the course of her future.

For like her fellow Earth Masters of the Schwarzwald Lodge, Rosa is not a healer. Instead, her talents lead her on the more violent path of protection and defense— “cleansing” the Earth and protecting its gentle fae creatures from those evil beings who seek to do them harm.

And so Rosa becomes the first woman Hunt Master and the scourge of evil creatures, with a deadly specialty in werewolves and all shape­shifters.

While visiting with a Fire Master—a friend of her mentor from the Schwarzwald Lodge— Rosa meets a pair of Elemental Magicians from Hungary who have come looking for help. They suspect that there is a dark power responsible for a string of murders happening in the remote countryside of Transylvania, but they have no proof. Rosa agrees to help them, but there is a catch: one of the two men asking for aid is a hereditary werewolf.

Rosa has been taught that there are three kinds of werewolves. There are those, like the one that had murdered her teacher, who transform themselves by use of dark magic, and also those who have been infected by the bite of these magical werewolves—these poor victims have no control over their transforma­tive powers. Yet, there is a third kind: those who have been born with the ability to trans­form at will. Some insist that certain of these hereditary werewolves are benign. But Rosa has never encountered a benign werewolf!

Can she trust this Hungarian werewolf? Or is the Hunter destined to become the Hunted?

I think that Mercedes Lackey has finally gotten around to a version of Little Red Riding Hood in her retellings of fairy-tales.

Closer To Home: Book One of Herald Spy
Mercedes Lackey
DAW Books
Release Date: October 7, 2014
978-0756408992

The amazon.com product description:

 Mags was once an enslaved orphan living a harsh life in the mines, until the King's Own Herald discovered his talent and trained him as a spy. Now a Herald in his own right, at the newly established Heralds' Collegium, Mags has found a supportive family, including his Companion Dallen.

Although normally a Herald in his first year of Whites would be sent off on circuit, Mags is needed close to home for his abilities as a spy and his powerful Mindspeech gift. There is a secret, treacherous plot within the royal court to destroy the Heralds. The situation becomes dire after the life of Mags' mentor, King's Own Nikolas, is imperiled. His daughter Amily is chosen as the new King's Own, a complicated and dangerous job that is made more so by this perilous time. Can Mags and Amily save the court, the Heralds, and the Collegium itself?

The House of Four Winds
Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
Tor Books
Release Date: August 5, 2014
978-0765335654

The amazon.com product description:

Mercedes Lackey is the New York Times bestselling author of the Valdemar series and romantic fantasies like Beauty and the Werewolf and The Fairy Godmother. JAMES MALLORY and Lackey have collaborated on six novels. Now. these New York Times and USA Today bestselling collaborators bring romance to the fore with The House of Four Winds.

The rulers of tiny, impoverished Swansgaard have twelve daughters and one son. While the prince’s future is assured, his twelve sisters must find their own fortunes.

Disguising herself as Clarence, a sailor, Princess Clarice intends to work her way to the New World. When the crew rebels, Clarice/Clarence, an expert with rapier and dagger, sides with the handsome navigator, Dominick, and kills the cruel captain.

Dominick leads the now-outlawed crew in search of treasure in the secret pirate haven known as The House of Four Winds. They encounter the sorceress Shamal, who claims Dominick for her own—but Clarice has fallen hard for Dominick and won’t give him up without a fight.

Full of swashbuckling adventure, buoyant magic, and irrepressible charm, The House of the Four Winds is a lighthearted fantasy romp by a pair of bestselling writers. 

This is one I'm definitely looking forward to, with less than a month to go:

Crown of Renewal (Legend of Paksenarrion)
Elizabeth Moon
Del Rey
Release Date: May 27, 2014
978-0345533098

The amazon.com product description:

Acclaimed author Elizabeth Moon spins gripping, richly imagined epic fantasy novels that have earned comparisons to the work of such authors as Robin Hobb and Lois McMaster Bujold. In this volume, Moon’s brilliant masterwork reaches its triumphant conclusion.

The mysterious reappearance of magery throughout the land has been met with suspicion, fear, and violence. In the kingdom of Lyonya, Kieri, the half-elven, half-human king, struggles to balance the competing demands of his heritage while fighting a deadly threat to his rule: evil elves linked in some way to the rebirth of magic.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring kingdom of Tsaia, a set of ancient artifacts recovered by the former mercenary Dorrin Verrakai may hold the answer to the riddle of magery’s return. Thus Dorrin embarks on a dangerous quest to return these relics of a bygone age to their all-but-mythical place of origin. What she encounters there will change her in unimaginable ways—and spell doom or salvation for the entire world.

There's also this one:

Shattered Shields (BAEN)
Ed. Jennifer Brozek and Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Baen Books
Release Date: November 4, 2014
978-1476737010

The amazon.com product description:

Swords and Shields. Faith and Magic.

Grab yours and get ready, for the enemy is on the move.

High fantasy and mighty conflicts go hand-in-hand. In great wars, armies rise to fight evil hordes and heroes struggle to push beyond their imperfections and save the day. These stories include more than just epic landscapes and characters...but also epic battles.

Imagine a doctor struggling to identify the spy who has infiltrated his company's ranks and poisoned his colleagues or a boy suspected of murder by a king yet protected by a princess as he helps her father against his own people. Imagine a butcher discovering that he's called to lead an uprising, or a First Born knowing that she must betray her own in order to save humanity.

The possibilities are endless, but at the heart they have this in common: soldiers--ordinary and otherwise-struggling against extraordinary odds to survive the day. They must withstand dark magic, dodge enemy blades, and defy the odds to survive SHATTERED SHIELDS.

Table of Contents:
Ashes and Starlight (Runelords) by David Farland
The Fixed Stars (October Daye) by Seanan McGuire
The Keeper of Names by Larry Correia
The Smaller We Are by John Helfers
Invictus by Annie Bellet
Rising Above by Sarah A. Hoyt
A Cup of Wisdom by Joseph Zieja
Words of Power by Wendy N. Wagner
Lightweaver in Shadow by Gray Rinehart
Hoofsore and Weary by Cat Rambo
Vengeance (Frost) by Robin Wayne Bailey
Deadfall by Nancy Fulda
Yael of the Strings by John R. Fultz
The Gleaners by Dave Gross
Bonded Men by James L. Sutter
Bone Candy (Black Company) by Glen Cook
First Blood (Paksenarrion) by Elizabeth Moon

There's a lot of names there that I recognize...
This is another one I'm looking forward to, though I'm likely to wait for the paperback to match the rest of the series. However, there's a lot of new material there. The only one I recognize is the story Alpha And Omega, published in On The Prowl.

Shifting Shadows: Stories From The World Of Mercy Thompson
Patricia Briggs
Ace
Release Date: September 2, 2014
978-0425265000

The amazon.com product description:

Mercy Thompson’s world just got a whole lot bigger…

A collection of all-new and previously published short stories featuring Mercy Thompson, “one of the best heroines in the urban fantasy genre today” (Fiction Vixen Book Reviews), and the characters she calls friends…

Includes the new stories…
“Silver”
“Roses in Winter”
“Redemption”
“Hollow”

…and reader favorites
“Fairy Gifts”
“Gray”
“Alpha and Omega”
“Seeing Eye”
“The Star of David”
“In Red, with Pearls”

Laurell K. Hamilton is still going strong with her series about Merry Gentry:

A Shiver of Light
Laurell K. Hamilton
Berkley Hardcover
Release Date: June 3, 2014
978-0425255667

The amazon.com product description:

I am Princess Meredith NicEssus. Legal name Meredith Gentry, because “Princess” looks so pretentious on a driver’s license. I was the first faerie princess born on American soil, but I wouldn’t be the only one for much longer...

Merry Gentry, ex–private detective, now full-time princess, knew she was descended from fertility goddesses, but when she learned she was about to have triplets, she began to understand what that might mean. Infertility has plagued the high ranks of faerie for centuries. Now nobles of both courts of faerie are coming to court Merry and her men, at their home in exile in the Western Lands of Los Angeles, because they will do anything to have babies of their own.

Taranis, King of Light and Illusion, is a more dangerous problem. He tried to seduce Merry and, failing that, raped her. He’s using the human courts to sue for visitation rights, claiming that one of the babies is his. And though Merry knows she was already pregnant when he took her, she can’t prove it.

To save herself and her babies from Taranis she will use the most dangerous powers in all of faerie: a god of death, a warrior known as the Darkness, the Killing Frost, and a king of nightmares. They are her lovers, and her dearest loves, and they will face down the might of the high courts of faerie—while trying to keep the war from spreading to innocent humans in Los Angeles, who are in danger of becoming collateral damage.

I've definitely fallen behind on this series!
The next book is a bit of a change of pace from fantasy and paranormal romance:

China Dolls: A Novel
Lisa See
Random House
Release Date: June 3, 2014
978-0812992892

The amazon.com product description:

The New York Times bestselling author of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, and Shanghai Girls has garnered international acclaim for her great skill at rendering the intricate relationships of women and the complex meeting of history and fate. Now comes Lisa See’s highly anticipated new novel, China Dolls.

It’s 1938 in San Francisco: a world’s fair is preparing to open on Treasure Island, a war is brewing overseas, and the city is alive with possibilities. Grace, Helen, and Ruby, three young women from very different backgrounds, meet by chance at the exclusive and glamorous Forbidden City nightclub. Grace Lee, an American-born Chinese girl, has fled the Midwest with nothing but heartache, talent, and a pair of dancing shoes. Helen Fong lives with her extended family in Chinatown, where her traditional parents insist that she guard her reputation like a piece of jade. The stunning Ruby Tom challenges the boundaries of convention at every turn with her defiant attitude and no-holds-barred ambition.

The girls become fast friends, relying on one another through unexpected challenges and shifting fortunes. When their dark secrets are exposed and the invisible thread of fate binds them even tighter, they find the strength and resilience to reach for their dreams. But after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, paranoia and suspicion threaten to destroy their lives, and a shocking act of betrayal changes everything.

I think this is going to be a book that's perfect for people who liked Shanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy. My favorite Lisa See novel to date though, is Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.

Fair Game - Patricia Briggs

Fair Game
Patricia Briggs
Ace Hardcover
Copyright: March 6, 2012
978-0441020034

The amazon.com product description:

Patricia Briggs, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson novels, "always enchants her readers." (Lynn Viehl, New York Times bestselling author) Now her Alpha and Omega series-set in a world of shifting shapes, loyalty, and passion- brings werewolves out of the darkness and into a society where fear and prejudice could make the hunters prey...

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

This is a re-read occasioned by the mass-market paperback release of Fair Game, and also the hardcover release of Frost Burned, the latest book in Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series. My last review of Fair Game is here.

As with my previous review, I found that I absolutely couldn't put the book down, reading it even when I was telling myself I needed to be reading my textbooks instead. This is one of my favourites of the books in this world - and the cliff-hanger at the end was just as compelling. It's really going to be rocking the world in the upcoming Mercy Thompson book as well as in future Alpha and Omega books (the spin-off series).

Anna and Charles are both extremely compelling characters and even on a re-read I was hoping everything would work out well for them, something I find myself saying with nearly every book set in this world.

The world of Mercy Thompson is one of my favourite urban fantasy series, and I know I've said this before, but if you haven't given any of the books in the series a try, you should, starting with Moon Called, the first book in the main series.

Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs

Blood Bound
Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 2007
9780441014736

From the back of the book:

Under the rule of science, there are no witch burnings allowed, no water trials or public lynchings. In return the average law-abiding solid citizen has little to worry about from the things that go bump in the night. Sometimes I wish I was an average citizen...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places - and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.

But this new vampire is hardly ordinary - and neither is the demon inside of him...

This is a re-read of Blood Bound, so there probably won't be much that's new and different from my previous reviews of this second book in the Mercy Thompson series, found here and here. Re-read or not, this is one of my favourite urban fantasy series.

Blood Bound follows on Moon Called, the book that introduces us to the world of Mercedes Thompson, walker and mechanic. Where Moon Called focused on the werewolves, although the other supernatural communities had a presence, this book involves the vampires more, and there werewolves and fae move more to the background.

What makes the whole series so different in my mind is that the supernatural is in the process of becoming openly known about, although some segments are still hidden, others have exposed themselves to the public. I can't think of any other urban fantasy where this process is depicted as being in progress. Usually, the paranormal and supernatural are staying as deeply hidden as possible. The other common option is that they've come out of hiding at some point in the past, but are accepted by the time the book has been set. You don't usually get to see the growing pains in progress.

Even on a reread Blood Bound was a riveting read, keeping me turning the pages as though it had been the first time I read the book. Not too many books and series manage this in my mind.

The Mercy Thompson books are a series I highly recommend to any readers of urban fantasy and paranormal romance (although most readers seem to have already given them a try).

Moon Called - Patricia Briggs

Moon Called
Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 2006
9780441013814

From the back of the book:

Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me too.

Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercedes Thompson is not exactly normal herself... and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

Yes, this is yet another re-read. I've read Moon Called a couple of times in the past, along with the rest of the series (Blood Bound, Iron Kissed, Bone Crossed, Silver Borne and River Marked to date) and loved it every time.

Mercy Thompson is quite the character, and involved with a very interesting world. Where in most of the paranormal worlds (either in the romance genre or the urban fantasy) the supernatural is either well known about or completely kept secret, in the world Mercedes Thompson lives in, it's in that middle-state. At the moment, the Fae are out (for the most part, anyway) and werewolves are something of an open secret, although not officially known about as yet. Not even a hint of vampires or anything else, although they do exist.

All of that adds a whole new set of tensions to the normal set. How to keep these secrets, how to maintain the image that is needed. Dealing with bigotry and prejudice, etc. The whole series (and the spin-off series Alpha and Omega) keep me turning the page, even on re-reading.

From the start, we're thrown right into her world with a bit of a mystery, and we're kept going from there. Who is Mac, who's after him and why? What do they want? The pace never really lets up, although there are plenty of funnier moments to lighten things up - Mercy's parts car, for example. Every time she's annoyed with her neighbor, it gets funnier. I think, by the end of the series, it's missing three of the four wheels and has graffiti scribbled all over it.

If you're an urban fantasy fan and you haven't given Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson series a try, you really should. It's one of my favourites and I can't recommend it enough.

Top Five Fantasy Authors

There are so many good fantasy authors out there that it's hard to know what to read next. And everyone's suggestions are going to be very different too. This list is only my top five favourite authors. I think I'd have a nearly impossible time narrowing it down to just five or ten books if I were to do the list that way. I know that if I asked you for yours, you'd come up with something very different.

1. J.R.R. Tolkien. You can't have a list of fantasy authors (unless it's for a specific sub-genre of fantasy like urban fantasy) without J.R.R. Tolkien on it. However, I'm not just bowing to pressure here, Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings is my all-time favourite book. It might be Tolkien's best known book, bot it's not the only one. There's The Hobbit and The Silmarillion set within the world of Middle-Earth, but also some non-Middle-Earth books like Mr. Bliss.
   
   All of them are well-written, detailed and wonderfully descriptive, particularly the books set within Middle-Earth, which was something he worked on for most of his life. For a world that feels real - detailed and thoroughly described, as well as a great story with layers just waiting to be discovered, I can't think of a better author.
   
   
2. Elizabeth Moon. Especially the book The Deed of Paksenarrion. The whole world she's created though is detailed and vivid. One of the things that puts Elizabeth Moon's work on this list is the additional realism she's added throughout. Mud, blisters, the cold etc. All little things that remind you that a fantasy world still has it's little problems and isn't all sunshine and roses. A lot of that comes from her own background - both owning livestock now and a past in the military. Basically, for all this is a fantasy world, Paks feels like a very real character, as do the rest of the cast: Stammel, Arcolin, Arvid, Duke Phelan, all of them feel like real people. Quite honestly, this is a series where I keep waiting eagerly for the next book to come out. For some variety, Elizabeth Moon also writes science fiction, more specifically military science fiction.
   
   
3. Mercedes Lackey. One of the more prolific writers on my shelf, and one that I can keep coming back to again and again. Her Valdemar series is at over thirty books at my last count, and some of them manage to bring me to tears every time I read them. Yes, some of the stories are a bit formulaic - having the same "type" of main character or what have you, but I find that regardless of that, the stories are ones I can read again and again. And that's just the Valdemar books.
   
   Mercedes Lackey has also written several other series, including the Free Bards books (starting with The Lark And The Wren), the Five Hundred Kingdoms series, several of which are reviewed here, including the most recent one Beauty and the Werewolf, and a teen series.
   
   Personally, I find her books to be the kind I can pick up at any time, almost in any order now, and enjoy. Great for pulling myself out of a reading slump, or when I'm just not feeling a hundred percent.
   
   
4. Jo Graham. The perfect (in my mind at least) blend of history and fantasy. My favourites of hers are Hand of Isis and Black Ships, although she's written other books as well, including several Stargate novels (which would be more Science Fiction than Fantasy). I absolutely love the way she's taken the time period and made it real, and yet added the fantasy as well.  Hand of Isis is retelling the story of Cleopatra and her life - a story we know, yet in this telling, I kept going "if only". Black Ships has taken the story of The Aeneid as told by Virgil, and fleshed it out into a full novel. Each of the books in the Numinous World, though set in a completely different period of time is connected by a thread of reincarnation. Something I honestly find quite intriguing.
   
   
5. Patricia Briggs. You can't have a list like this these days without having some urban fantasy on in. That said, Patricia Briggs isn't just a place-holder here. She's my favourite of the urban fantasy authors I've read. Starting with Moon Called, the Mercy Thompson series, together with the spin-off series Alpha and Omega is possibly one of the best out there.
   
   In a lot of the urban fantasy novels the paranormal is kept completely secret. In others it's completely exposed to the public. The troubles from it's coming out are already over with. In the Mercy Thompson series, some parts of the paranormal world are out - others are still secret, and the stresses and backlash are going on as the books progress. And, of course, I just like the main character, Mercedes Thompson herself.

Fair Game - Patricia Briggs

Fair Game
Patricia Briggs
Ace Hardcover
Copyright: March 6, 2012
978-0441020034

The amazon.com product description:

Patricia Briggs, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson novels, "always enchants her readers." (Lynn Viehl, New York Times bestselling author) Now her Alpha and Omega series-set in a world of shifting shapes, loyalty, and passion- brings werewolves out of the darkness and into a society where fear and prejudice could make the hunters prey...

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

This latest book in the Alpha and Omega series sucks you right in from page one. Following on from Cry Wolf and Hunting Ground, it's intriguing to see how Anna and Charles are getting on, not to mention how things are going with the Werewolves' entry into public life.

Unlike the previous two books in this spin-off from the Mercy Thompson series though, Fair Game was released in hardcover - and there's no new Mercy Thompson novel waiting that I'm aware of. Still, this story definitely fits my hardcover criterion. Captivating and thrilling, I found that I couldn't put it down easily. And what a twist at the end...

That's definitely something that's going to affect the next book in either series, and personally I can't wait to see what's going to happen.

As with any series though, despite how much I recommend this book, I also suggest starting with the first book. In this case, that's either Moon Called in the Mercy Thompson series or Cry Wolf from this series. If you're a fan of urban fantasy or paranormal romance and you haven't tried either of these series, you should. They've honestly become two of my favourites.

River Marked - Patricia Briggs

River Marked
Patricia Briggs
Ace Books
Copyright: March 2011
978-0441019731

The amazon.com product description:

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help... 

This is the sixth book in the Mercy Thompson series, following on Silver Borne, and Bone Crossed. This is the book that tells us the most about Mercy's background and her mysterious father, which in some ways was the best part of the whole book. River Marked begins just before Mercedes' marriage to Adam - which goes in typical Mercy Thompson fashion. Patricia Briggs has put in the usual lines that will leave you laughing out loud - they did for me.

And yet, for all that I was looking forward to reading River Marked, for some reason I just couldn't get fully into the story. I was enjoying the read, but I found it all too easy to put down for another book half of the time. I honestly don't know why that was. It didn't drag at all, nor was the story boring. And, I'd love to know what's going to happen next for Mercy.

I did really like the incorporation of native mythology into the story too. What I'd like to know though, is just how closely Patricia Briggs described the region she used as the setting for this book. For the other books it wasn't as burning a question, but I think it would be neat to see how closely the real history of the area is matched to that of the story and museums etc. Not to mention the various pictograms, both mentioned and described. It would be neat to know if those are real. This is the first book in this series that made me wonder those kinds of questions.

Overall, I'm going to say that I liked River Marked, but I don't think it was my favourite of the series to date.

The first book of the Mercy Thompson series is Moon Called, and honestly, with this series, I do recommend starting with book one. Believe me, you won't regret it. The whole series is so good.

Silver Borne - Patricia Briggs

Silver Borne
Patricia Briggs
Ace Hardcover
Copyright: 2010
978-0441018192

The amazon.com product description:

All-new action in the #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series

When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live...

Silver Borne, the fifth book of the Mercy Thompson series was as good as the previous four. Although I wasn't hooked right at the first page, I certainly was within an hour of fully settling in to read. I ended up finishing the book the same night. I just couldn't put the book down. It certainly held up to the anticipation that waiting brought.

Mercy's certainly gotten herself into a nice tangle in this book, although none of it is her fault exactly. A number of the loose ends from the previous books have all come together in this one and need to be resolved. There've been hints previously about Wolf/coyote issues which blow up here, some feelings about what's been going on in the Alpha and Omega series as well come to light, and they Fey are back. Not that they exactly left.

Things are getting better on one front at least, however: Mercy's relationship with Adam, though still rocky is improving. She's starting to get over what happened at the end of Iron Kissed, the third book in the series. Everywhere else though? Well, I really don't want to give out any spoilers.

Some interesting things went on in this book that may serve as fodder for situations in the next books though. Here's hoping there are some more books in the Mercy Thompson series. It's definitely one of my favorites.

Highly, highly recommended, but you need to start with Moon Called.

Waiting On Wednesday - Silver Borne

Waiting On Wednesday is hosted each week at the Breaking The Spine blog. It's really neat seeing what everyone's waiting to read.

My pick this week is Patricia Brigg's next novel in the Mercy Thompson series: Silver Borne. Thankfully, I don't have too much longer to wait. It's supposed to be out on March 30th.

The amazon.com product description:

All-new action in the #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series

When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live...

Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs

Cry Wolf
Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 2008
9780441016150

From the back of the book:

Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack...and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cormick, the enforcer - and son - of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.

Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna's inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf - a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten the entire pack.

This is a re-read of Cry Wolf, the first book in the Alpha and Omega series. My original review of the book is here. I have to say I enjoyed the read, staying up far too late last night and finishing it this morning. Cry Wolf was as good this time as it was last time.

The story picks up after Patricia Briggs' short story in the anthology On The Prowl, which introduced us to the character Anna Latham, now Anna Cornick. We've already met Charles Cornick briefly in the Mercy Thompson series. You don't have to have read the Mercy Thompson books (which begin with Moon Called), but it does help set up the world and the situations the characters in the Alpha And Omega series find themselves in.

Patricia Briggs has done something somewhat different with this series than she did in the Mercy Thompson books. Where those ones are in a first person viewpoint and are entirely from the view of Mercy Thompson, this series is a more standard viewpoint and does include scenes from other characters views: Charles, Walter and the Moor's as well as others.

While I personally prefer the Mercy Thompson books, I have to say these are so very close a second that there's very little to choose from between them. I'm waiting for the next book following Hunting Ground eagerly.

Bone Crossed - Patricia Briggs

Bone Crossed
Patricia Briggs
Berkely Trade
Copyright: 2009
9780441016761

From the cover of the book:

Welcome to Patricia Briggs's world, a place where "witches, vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters live beside ordinary people" (Booklist). It takes a very unusual woman to call it home - and there's no one quite like Mercy Thompson.

By day, Mercy is a car mechanic in the sprawling Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shapeshifter with some unique talents, Mercy has often found herself having to maintain a tenuous harmony between the human and the not so human. This time she may get more than she bargained for.

Marsilia, the local Vampire Queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan - and she's out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal by the werewolf pack (and her close relations hip with its sexy Alpha), it won't be Mercy's blood Marsilia is after.

It'll be her friends.

This is a re-read, as I first read Bone Crossed last year when it came out in hardcover. My original review is here.

The sequel to Iron Kissed, Bone Crossed takes up the story within a couple of days of the ending of the previous book. Mercy certainly doesn't get a break! While she's dealing with the aftermath of the events of Iron Kissed, the events of Blood Bound come back to haunt her. As she knew they would, just not when.

At the same time, she's made her choice between Samuel and Adam. As I said in my last review of Iron Kissed, I'm definitely feeling sorry for Samuel, and I hope Patricia Briggs has something nice planned for him in the future. Charles has his own series: the Alpha and Omega series, so it would be nice if there's something similar planned for his brother.

Definitely a good read, and there's plenty more for the next book, Silver Borne, due out in April (I think). I can't wait. The way the Mercy Thompson series has been going, it should definitely be good. Overall, this is a series that you can read at least twice (probably more, the way I'm enjoying it this time).

Iron Kissed - Patricia Briggs

Iron Kissed
Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 2008
9780441015665

From the back of the book:

I could smell her fear, and it satisfied something deep inside me that had been writhing under her cool, superior gaze. I curled my upper lip so she could get a good look at my sharp teeth. I might only weigh thirty or so pounds in my coyote shape, but I was a predator...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape - but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not

Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her...

This is a re-read of this book, which is the sequel to Moon Called and Blood Bound. My original review from last March is here. I have to say I liked it as much this time as I did last time. However, I also found that Iron Kissed is the most disturbing of the series so far, given what happens to Mercy at the climax of the book.

I have to admit, I found myself feeling sorry for Samuel by the end of Iron Kissed, and I hope the author has something nice in mind for him in the future. He's certainly had enough sorrows in his life from what we've seen in the books so far.

As the title suggests, Iron Kissed is the book about the Fae, the way Blood Bound was for the Vampires. We find out a lot more about how they live, the reservations, and their abilities among other things. Also, about the attitudes towards them from the humans who've only recently found out about their existence.

One thing I've found funny about the whole series this time around is Mercy's musings about how useful her history degree is (or isn't). I've had the same thoughts at times too (only Classical and Medieval history), given that I don't use it at all in my job, and the only jobs that come to mind for the degree are things like teaching.

Overall, the whole series is five star, and if you haven't tried them yet, you should.

Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs

Blood Bound
Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 2007
9780441014736

From the back of the book:

Under the rule of science, there are no witch burnings allowed, no water trials or public lynchings. In return the average law-abiding solid citizen has little to worry about from the things that go bump in the night. Sometimes I wish I was an average citizen...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places - and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.

But this new vampire is hardly ordinary - and neither is the demon inside of him...

Blood Bound is the sequel to Moon Called. I should note this is the second time I've read and reviewed this book on this blog. The first time is here. I'm loving the Mercy Thompson series as much this time around as I did last year. I'd forgotten the details enough that it was almost like reading the book for the first time again.

So far, none of the books are more than short reads, but they're the type to keep you up far past your bedtime as you keep wanting to know "what happens next?". Both Moon Called and Blood Bound have kept me up past one in the morning, and Iron Kissed did the same thing last night.

Where Moon Called introduced us to the whole world Patricia Briggs has created, she focused on the werewolves in that book. This book has the story focus on the vampires who are both the good guys and the bad guys of the book. And, they are creepy! Stefan's not so bad but the others?

Mercy still hasn't made her choice between Adam and Samuel, which is leading to some tension in the pack, and tension between the two men. That's the main difference between this series and paranormal romances - the relationships take more than a book to set up and resolve.

I loved this book and the rest of the series. I'm pretty sure I said it the first time I reviewed Blood Bound and the others, but this is still my favorite urban fantasy series. Definitely five stars.

Moon Called - Patricia Briggs

Moon Called
Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 2006
9780441013814

From the back of the book:

Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me too.

Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercedes Thompson is not exactly normal herself... and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

Yes, this is a re-read of a book I read and reviewed last year. My original review is here. I have to say I loved reading Moon Called as much this time as I did last time. Admittedly, I'd forgotten a whole lot of the plot so events were surprising to me, as though I was reading it for the first time again.

I still think the characters are interesting and compelling, flaw, quirks and all. Mercy Thompson is an interesting character, and the world Patricia Briggs has created for her is interesting and coherent. It's rather neat seeing a world where some things are still secret, but others are coming into the open. Generally it's more of an "everything is hidden" or "everything is known about and has been for some time". The problems they're facing seem to work as well: racism, bigotry and the like.

Even having read Moon Called before, I found that the mysterious plots, twists and turns kept me enthralled late into the night (when I finally finished the book). Honestly, the Mercy Thompson series is my favorite urban fantasy series. I can't recommend the books enough.

August Review Round Up

August sure has flown by. The end of the month snuck up on me almost before I was prepared for it.

Anyway, here's my round-up of my reviews for the past month:

The most recent book read and reviewed was Curse of the Tahiera by Wendy Gillissen.

A snippet from my review:

The characters grew on me quickly and I had to know what was happening to them next. I still haven't quite shaken them out of my head yet.

The book starts out as a typical fantasy/journey, but takes on it's own dimensions and character quickly, growing into it's own storyline.

Hunting Ground, by Patricia Briggs was a book I've been looking forward to since I finished Bone Crossed back in March. It's the latest book set in her Urban Fantasy world, the sequel to Cry Wolf.

A quote from my review:

One thing I like about all the books set in this world, and Hunting Ground is no exception here, is the way the author sets up her mysteries so you think the bad guy is one character, and then throws in a twist or two, to fool the reader. So far, every single time, the villain has proven to be someone else at the end of the book.

Defenders of the Faith by James Reston Jr.
This was the first book I've been offered to review, which makes it a bit special. It examines the years between 1520 and 1536 in both Europe/The Holy Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Definitely an interesting read.

A snippet from my review:

Overall though, I really enjoyed reading this book, and I feel like I learned a bit more about history, and about this period in our history especially. I'd recommend this as a good overview/introductory book about the years between 1520 and 1536. Defenders of the Faith is going to stay on my shelves as part of my "permanent" collection of books.

Stargate SG1 The Barque Of Heaven by Suzanne Woods is my current favorite of the Stargate SG1 novels I've read to date. This was definitely a five star book, and I think I'm going to have to implement that kind of rating on All Booked Up soon.

A snippet from my review:

The story is non-stop, and I found that I didn't need to have seen any of the later episodes in order to understand it (still haven't gotten past episode nine of season one). I just couldn't put it down. The characters seemed true to the series as well, and there were several points where I could "hear" the dialogue in the voices from the series.

Stargate SG1 City Of The Gods by Sonny Whitelaw. Another of the Stargate SG1 novels. A nice, quick read for a change of pace.

A snippet from my review:

City of the Gods is set within the Aztec/Mayan cultures of Mexico/Central America, which I found quite interesting. The story links with the little I know about the region/period well, although I'm sure that the story would drive anyone who really knows the cultures crazy (as have some stories set in the periods and areas I'm more familiar with).

Stargate SG1 the First Amendment by Ashley McConnell. The first Stargate novel I read.

A snippet from my review:

Ashley McConnell seems to have the character "voices" and attitudes matching the show as far as I can tell. Looking at the list of her other novels, novelizations for TV shows seems to be her particular niche. I saw a Highlander novel, Quantum Leap and several other Stargate novels listed under her name as well.

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran was a very good novel, and a good introduction to her books. I'm now reading The Heretic Queen, and I'm looking forward to reading her new book Cleopatra's Daughter as well.

A snippet from my review:

With a rich and detailed landscape, Nefertiti paints a wonderfully fascinating picture of Egyptian life during the time of Nefertiti and Akhenaten. Nearly as much as King Tut, Nefertiti has captured the imagination of the world, and Michelle Moran has created a captivating picture of this powerful woman and the events of the time. Nefertiti is told from the perspective of Mutnodjmet, her sister, and a figure I hadn't heard of before I read this book.

Order in Chaos by Jack Whyte is another book I'd been looking forward to for a while. Ever since Standard of Honor came out, to be honest.

A snippet from my review:

Jack Whyte writes incredibly vivid and exciting books. On the other hand, I found that I still couldn't quite picture any of the characters in my head.

Anyway, Order in Chaos was well worth the read, and if you like historical fiction, I recommend it strongly.

Standard of Honor by Jack Whyte is one of the books I bought when it first came out, and never got around to reading. That was a mistake! The book was really good. On the other hand, waiting until now meant that I didn't have to wait for the next book to come out for very long.

A snippet from my review:

Running through all three of the books, Knights of the Black and White, Standard of Honor and the newest one, Order in Chaos is a thread that seems as though it were straight from the book Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Jack Whyte is playing with the idea of an inner order that pre-dates the Templars in this series. Overall, I'd have to say it works too. The "Friendly Families", as he terms this, certainly do seem to add an extra air of mystery to the story. Perhaps it lessens the historical accuracy, but that's why its termed "historical fiction", after all.

Hunting Ground (Alpha and Omega 2) - Patricia Briggs

Hunting Ground
Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy
Copyright Date: 2009
978-0441017386

The jacket description:

Anna Lathan didn't know how complicated life could be until she became a werewolf. And until she was mated to Charles Cornick, the son - and enforcer - of Bran, the leader of the North American werewolves, she didn't know how dangerous it could be, either...

Anna and Charles have just been enlisted to attend a summit to present Bran's controversial proposition: that the wolves should finally reveal themselves to humans. But the most feared Alpha in Europe is dead set against the plan - and it seems like someone else might be, too. When Anna is attacked by vampires using pack magic, the kind of power only werewolves should be able to draw on, Charles and Anna must combine their talents to hunt down whoever is behind it all - or risk losing everything...

Hunting Ground is the sequel to Cry Wolf and continues the story of Anna and Charles Cornick. There's still been only a short time since the two werewolves first met (which is told in a short story in the anthology On The Prowl), and as a result, they're still feeling out their relationship and getting to know each other.

Patricia Briggs has created an interesting world here. The Alpha and Omega series shares the world with the Mercy Thompson series, although the characters from each set of book hardly interact, so you don't have to have read the Mercy Thompson series to understand and enjoy the books of the Alpha and Omega series. So far, the world seems to have been very internally consistent, with no gaping holes that I can see. The author has incorporated all sorts of different strands of mythology and legend: Werewolves, the Fae, Vampires, and even elements of North American legends (although those are mostly in the Mercy Thompson books).

One thing I like about all the books set in this world, and Hunting Ground is no exception here, is the way the author sets up her mysteries so you think the bad guy is one character, and then throws in a twist or two, to fool the reader. So far, every single time, the villain has proven to be someone else at the end of the book.

The other unique thing about this world is that the mythological/fantastical aspect is slowly being acknowledged by the rest of the world. It's neat to see the process in progress. Most of the urban fantasies I've read to date follow one of the two premises: that the world of the fantastical is kept secret from everybody, or that it's widely known about, and has been for years. Patricia Briggs has taken the middle road here, and it makes for a nice change.

In Hunting Ground the focus of the story is as much on the relationship between Anna and Charles as it is on the events of the conference and outside problems. As a result, I kind of felt that I needed the refresher that rereading Cry Wolf would have been (it's been a few months and a lot of books between then and now). Rereading the other books has been moved farther up my priority list.

Almost unrelated is the fact I found the Darque Reviews quote on the back cover to be really neat. Darque Reviews was one of the first book review blogs I subscribed to when I got started doing this. I can't find the full review of the book, or I'd link to it.

Overall, I really liked Hunting Ground and I recommend it to all lovers of urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

Books read and reviewed in March

Books read in March were mostly reviewed. However, there was one, Beast Master's Circus that I didn't get to reviewing and as it has now been a couple of weeks, I doubt it will get a review at all.

It's been a Fantasy and Urban Fantasy month for the most, heavy on Patricia Briggs, with some David Weber and other authors thrown in for good measure.

Anyway, the rest of the books for the month are:

Marked: A House Of Night Novel - P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
A snippet from my review:

I think the story was decent, it did catch my attention in a few different places and kept me turning the pages, but event for a teen book, I found it too quick a read, and I'm not fond of the high-school set stories that are so popular right now.

Beast Master's Ark - Andre Norton and Lynn McConchie
A snippet from my review:

Honestly, I think this is the best of the Beast Master novels, but perhaps I'm influenced by the fact that this was the first of the books in this series that I read.

Bone Crossed - Patricia Briggs
A snippet from my review:

The book starts immediately after the end of Iron Kissed, making it seem more like one book in two volumes, and the action starts almost from the first page. Mercy's mother turns up, having read the articles in the paper about the events of Iron Kissed, and then, minutes later, Stefan, the vampire, pops into the room, literally, having been tortured. From there things don't let up for an instant.

Storm From The Shadows - David Weber
A snippet from my review:

I enjoyed reading Storm of Shadows, but I've got to say, when I came to the end my reaction was "When's the next book coming out?". Weber has left the book screaming for a sequel, which according to the note in the front of the book is going to appear at some point in the future (hopefully sooner than five years from now like this one was from The Shadow of Saganami).

The Shadow Of Saganami - David Weber
A snippet from my review:

Overall, that's the thing about David Weber's science fiction. He's created very detailed characters, worlds and political systems. Everything holds together very well with not too many "hey! that can't work" moments.

The Shadow Queen - Anne Bishop
A snippet from my review:

Set after Tangled Webs and the Black Jewels Trilogy, The Shadow Queen connects the events and time of the stand-alone book The Invisible Ring with the later books. All I can say is WOW! This book kept me up two nights running. Frankly, I preferred it to Bishop's last book, Tangled Webs. It had the scope the previous book didn't. On the other hand, unlike the other books set in this world, there was no villain to contend with. Instead, it was a book of rebuilding, learning to trust and going on with life.

Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs
A snippet from my review:

Overall, this is a good start to an interesting series, and I'm looking forward to the next book I've seen rumored on Amazon.com (though it's not showing up on the Chapters/Indigo site yet.

Iron Kissed - Patricia Briggs
A snippet from my review:

As with Moon Called, and Blood Bound, the actual perpetrator of the crimes is left a mystery until the very end of the book, so that each time you think you know who it is, the author throws in another twist to keep you guessing (something that I really enjoy as I hate being able to predict what's going to happen in a story before it does).

Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs
A snippet from my review:

I like that it's not all about the supernatural, that there is some of the ordinary as well, ranging from work at the mechanic's shop to interacting with kids (albeit often in animal form). The other books in this genre that I've read seem to be so tangled with the supernatural/paranormal that there's nothing unconnected.

Moon Called - Patricia Briggs
A snippet from my review of this first book in the Mercy Thompson world:

I loved this book as, even though it seems to have all of the staples of the urban fantasy world, it had some unique twists as well and it kept me guessing right to the last page. I'll admit that I'm not overly familiar with the type of book, only really having read a few of the authors, namely Laurell K. Hamilton, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Tanya Huff, but Patricia Briggs is an author I'm enjoying a lot.

Tangled Webs - Anne Bishop
A snippet from my review:

This is the sixth book in the Black Jewels series, set about a year after the events in the trilogy and Dreams Made Flesh. Overall, perhaps the writing isn't the greatest, but the story mostly makes up for it. The book certainly kept me up far past bedtime, anyway, and had me laughing at the character interaction between the members of the coven and the SaDiablo family.

Upcoming Books: April and beyond

These are some of the new release and paperback releases that I've found which are coming out in the next few months. All of them are authors that I read or have read and enjoyed in the past. The site in brackets is where I got the release date, and it will be either chapters.indigo.ca or amazon.com, although it is usually the former.

The Phoenix Transformed
Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
TOR Books
Release date: September 15, 2009 (chapters.indigo.ca)

There's no information yet on the storyline of the book, but the logical guess is that it's the third book in the Enduring Flame series. At the moment, no cover is shown at either Amazon.com or Chapters.ca

Charmed Destinies: Counting Crows/Drusilla's Dream/Moonglow
Mercedes Lackey, Rachel Lee and Catherine Asaro
Luna
Release Date: July 1, 2009 (Chapters.indigo.ca)

This is an anthology of three stories, one by each of the authors listed, put out by Luna. Given the last part, I'm guessing that it is a fantasy/romance mix as Luna is the publisher of the Five Hundred Kingdoms series by Mercedes Lackey. According to the Mercedes Lackey mailing list I'm on, this is also a re-print of the book, so hopefully people who've already read it won't be disappointed. At the moment, there is no information about the story content.

Dragonheart
Todd McCaffrey
Random House Publishing Group
Release Date: October 27, 2009 (Chapters.indigo.ca)

This is the paperback release of the most recent Pern novel. I did read and enjoy this book when it first came out, although I seem to have forgotten to review it here. As I recall though, it is an alternate perspective on the plague that struck the dragons in Dragonsblood. I did find it reminiscent of the first books, Dragonflight and Dragonquest however in some ways although it didn't detract from the story. Currently, there is no cover given for the paperback.

Federations
Anne McCaffrey, Orson Scott Card and Lois McMaster Bujold and others
Diamond Comic Distributors
Release Date: April 15, 2009 (Chapters.indigo.ca)

An anthology of science fiction, some older and reprinted, some new to this book. Some of the contributors include Anne McCaffrey, Orson Scot Card, Harry Turtledove and others. This is nearly four hundred pages of science fiction, and a lot of the authors in the list are known to be some of the best out there today.

Valor's Trial
Tanya Huff
Daw Books
Release Date: June 1, 2009 (chapters.indigo.ca)

This is the paperback release of the most recent book in the Valor series, a military science fiction series about Torin Kerr. This is another well written series by Tanya Huff, and a definite change of pace from the Keeper series and the Blood series.

The Enchantment Emporium
Tanya Huff
Daw Books
Release Date: May 29, 2009 (Chapters.indigo.ca)

Tanya Huff has started a new world with this book. Set in Calgary, The Enchantment Emporium is centered on the character Alysha Gale and her family, who have powerful magic. I've got to say, from the tiny amount of information available on both the chapters.indigo site and the amazon.com site, this looks like it'll be a really good read. Honestly, I'm planning to get my hands on this ASAP!

Torch Of Freedom
David Weber and Eric Flint
Baen Books
November 3, 2009 (amazon.com)

This is to be the sequel to The Shadows of Saginami and Storm From The Shadows, which I honestly have to say, needs a sequel. If it is anything like these two, the book will overlap the events that are only mentioned in the previous two, but will explain them in detail. Weber and Flint have collaborated successfully before in the Honorverse in Crown of Slaves, and I'm glad to see them team up again here. Thank goodness it's not going to be another five years for the sequel to Storm From The Shadows the way it was for The Shadows of Saginami. I can't wait!

Hunting Ground
Patricia Briggs
Berkley Mass Market
Release Date: July 28, 2009 (Chapters.indigo.ca)

This is the sequel to Cry Wolf, the first book in the Alpha And Omega series, which was to date, my favorite book in the Mercy Thompson world. At any rate, this is the continuation of the story of Anna and Charles, although not much information is available as yet.